Salinas City Clerk rejects recall attempt on Mayor Gunter

The effort by supporters of Salinas City Councilman and Alisal Union School Board Trustee Jose Castaneda to launch a recall effort aimed at Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter fell flat almost as soon as it got started.

Salinas City Clerk Patty Barajas said she rejected the petition on Monday for the following reasons: Three names do not match the names or addresses in the voter records; the notice of intention to circulate exceeded the 200-word maximum; many of the names and addresses on the petition were typed when they must be handwritten.

Castaneda supporter Juvenal Ibarra filed the recall petition on Wednesday. It was filed less than 24 hours after the Salinas City Council voted 4-2 in favor of taking legal action against Castaneda because he may be violating California's conflict of interest laws. Castaneda refused to step down from his position as an Alisal Union School District School Board member after he was sworn onto the City Council in December.

"I am here whether you like it or not," Castaneda told his fellow council members after the vote.

Castaneda compared the city's legal action against him to the civil rights movement.

"What you're doing is no different from what has been happening under the civil rights era," Castaneda said.

Castaneda and Gunter were sworn into their positions on the same day in December and neither were incumbents during the November election.

Ibarra's petition stated that Gunter should be recalled because pursuing a lawsuit against Castaneda wastes the city's time and money, as well as denies District 1 voters who elected Castaneda their right representation.

Oddly enough, Ibarra's petition also claims Gunter is soft on crime in a gang-plagued city. Gunter is a longtime Salinas police officer.

The petition states, "As mayor, you engaged in divisive politics, disregarded the rule of law, wasted precious tax dollars to advance your political agenda and interests of an egoistic group. You failed to address critical issues impacting our daily lives such as crime, violence, jobs, housing and business opportunities."

"You wasted thousands of dollars to deny District 1 residents their right to equal representation and participation in city governance. Your stubbornness to continue violating Mr. Jose Castaneda's right to fully participate in such government affairs as city commissions and committees has put the residents of District 1 at peril. We, residents of the zip code 93905, are in critical need of strong leadership; hence we do not have the luxury to be victimized by your political schemes," the recall petition states.

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